strike, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. Th

PHILADELPHIA -- Adrian Gonzalez is crushing baseballs again and the Los Angeles Dodgers are riding their veteran slugger up the standings.Gonzalez hit two home runs and had five RBI to help the Dodgers extend their lead in the NL West with a 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.Justin Turner also homered and Joc Pederson reached base four times for the first-place Dodgers, who moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Los Angeles took over sole possession of the division lead for the first time since May 10.I just continue to do the things that are working, said Gonzalez, who had an epidural in early May to deal with back problems. When you feel good physically and you can take the right path, you just keep doing the things that are working -- good base, be on your back side and then let your hands work.With the Dodgers trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Gonzalez lined a 3-1 fastball into the seats in right-center field for a three-run homer. Turner singled and Josh Reddick walked to lead off the inning.Gonzalez followed that with a two-run homer in the seventh after Corey Seager led off the inning with a double.It was the 34-year-old first basemans first multi-homer game of the season and the 20th of his career. Gonzalez, who has 12 homers, extended his hitting streak to 10 games and is 18 for 40 in that span.With Adrian, I know his preparation, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. I know he always has the ability to drive in a run. I think early on, he was a victim of trying to out-think things as far as beating the shift. There was a point about five weeks ago when he decided to get the head to the ball and pull the baseball in the air a little bit more.Turner hit his 22nd home run after Seager singled in the fifth, pushing the Dodgers ahead 5-1.Scott Kazmir (10-6) allowed eight hits and two earned runs in five-plus innings to pick up his first win in four starts and improve his road record to 6-0. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and reliever Grant Dayton got out of another bases-loaded jam in the sixth after Kazmir allowed a leadoff homer to Tommy Joseph followed by three straight singles.Kazmir admitted he didnt feel very good throughout his start but was pleased to see the lineup have his back.Finally I feel like the offense is catching up to the pitching staff, Turner said. It makes it fun to play when everybodys having good at-bats.Making the third start of his career, Jake Thompson (1-2) surrendered just one hit through the first three innings before allowing five runs, four hits and three walks over the next two to get chased after five.I think I was a little too fine, falling behind hitters, Thompson said. When youre facing a lineup like those guys have, thats not a very good place to be.UTLEYS BIG WELCOME (AGAIN)Chase Utley went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts in his second game back in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. In his emotional return a night earlier, the Dodgers second baseman homered twice and received two curtain calls from the adoring Philly fans. Utley, a six-time All-Star who helped the Phillies win five straight NL East titles and the 2008 World Series, was greeted to another long standing ovation leading off Wednesdays game.DOING IT WITH HIS GLOVE, TOOGonzalez made a diving catch to snag a line drive by Odubel Herrera in the first, before falling right on first base to complete a double play.LOVING THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVEThe Dodgers are 12-3 in their last 15 games at Citizens Bank Park. They have won five straight series in Philly.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: RHP Aaron Nola was transferred to the 60-day DL, ending his season. Out since Aug. 3 with a right elbow strain, the 23-year-old was 6-9 with a 4.78 ERA in 20 starts.The Phillies announced Wednesday that Nola was replaced on the 40-man roster by RHP Frank Herrmann, while Elvis Araujo was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Herrmann made his first major league appearance since 2012, pitching a scoreless inning Wednesday.Dodgers: The Dodgers plan to activate LHP Adam Liberatore (2-0, 1.62) on Friday. The reliever made his second rehab appearance Tuesday night, striking out two in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Oklahoma City.UP NEXTThe Phillies and Dodgers conclude their three-game series Thursday night with Philadelphia RHP Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.82) opposing RHP Ross Stripling (3-4, 4.07). Clinton Portis Redskins Jersey .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. DaRon Payne Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. http://www.redskinsrookiestore.com/Redskins-Russ-Grimm-Jersey/ . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Derrius Guice Jersey .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Wes Martin Jersey . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. SEATTLE -- Stuck in a stretch of facing mostly left-handed pitching, Adam Lind has found himself as a spectator far more than he would prefer.Even with just a handful of at-bats over the past couple of weeks, Lind showed he can still provide pop when given the chance.Lind hit the fourth grand slam of his career as part of Seattles five-run first inning, added a solo home run in his next at-bat and led the Mariners to an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.Linds 19th and 20th homers of the season helped Seattle jump to an 8-0 lead and kept the Mariners on the fringe of the AL wild card race, five games behind Baltimore. It was the 12th career multi-homer game of Linds career and his second this season.He has the ability to do that. Weve seen it in patches through the course of the year. He just hasnt put together a normal Adam Lind year, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. But you look up at the end of it hes still got 20 homers, hes had some games like this where he can really carry you. He just hasnt been that consistent.Opportunities have been limited for Lind as part of a platoon at first base. Its an unfortunate run that has left Lind and Seth Smith coming off the bench during a stretch of facing left-handed starting pitching.Lind had just 12 plate appearances over the past 10 games coming into Wednesdays game.This is definitely the division with the most lefties, Texas and Anaheim of late, Lind said. I played in the NL Central last year and it was predominantly a right-handed pitching division. Its just how it goes.The homers from Lind were plenty for starter Ariel Miranda in his strongest performance since joining the Mariners.Miranda (3-1) allowed one hit and two baserunners through five innings and was nearly untouched through six before an error kept the sixth inning alive and was capped by Carlos Beltrans three-run homer.Miranda faced one batter in the seventh before being pulled. He won his second straight start, striking out four and walking three. Texas saw its streak snapped of eight straight games scoring at least six runs.Up until now (this) has been my best start of the year, Miranda said through an interpreter.ddddddddddddSeattle was already up 1-0 on Texas starter A.J. Griffin after Smiths leadoff double and Ketel Martes single. Base hits by Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager loaded the bases for Lind. Griffin left a fastball elevated over the plate and Lind drove it to deep center field to give Seattle a 5-0 lead.Linds opposite-field home run to left in the third gave Seattle a 7-0 lead and Smiths 13th homer of the season in the fourth pushed the lead to 8-0.Griffin (7-4) lasted four innings, giving up seven hits and all eight runs. Griffin had won his previous two decisions and the four innings was his second-shortest outing of the season.The fastball was flat and when he tried to go in, he missed out over the plate and when he was behind in the count, he wasnt able to land the off-speed pitch that he can normally drop in there for a strike, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. The first (inning) was a big challenge and giving up the grand slam was probably his big blow.AT THE TOPBatting leadoff for the second time this season, Smith was on base four times and scored three runs. He finished a triple short of the cycle.LEWIS RETURNSBanister said Colby Lewis will return to the Rangers rotation this weekend and is scheduled to start on Sunday against the Angels. Lewis has been out since June 21 with a strained muscle in his right shoulder. Before going on the DL, Lewis was 6-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 starts. Lewis return will give the Rangers six pitchers in their rotation for the final few weeks.UP NEXTRangers: Derek Holland (7-6) will start the series finale. Holland is 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts since coming off the DL on Aug. 23.Mariners: Taijuan Walker (4-10) looks to rebound from the shortest start of his career. Walker gave up five earned runs and six hits and recorded just two outs in a loss to the Angels. Hes 0-3 with a 7.90 ERA in his last three starts. ' ' '